The Oglethorpe baseball team split their doubleheader with the Hendrix Warriors Saturday at Anderson Field, using a 2-run homer by sophomore starting pitcher Carson Weir and some clutch relief pitching by freshman right-hander Colby James to secure the second game 3-2 and salvage a game from the doubleheader. With the results, the Stormy Petrels moved to 8-13 on the season overall and 4-6 in SAA play.
The Petrels scored a run in the first inning off an RBI single from senior catcher Alec Babb, then held the 1-0 lead for the majority of the seven-inning contest. Weir was outstanding, allowing just one hit through the first five innings as Oglethorpe maintained the 1-run advantage. In the sixth, though, Hendrix cashed in a leadoff double to tie the score at 1-1.
Oglethorpe rallied in the bottom of the inning, though. Junior third baseman Andrew Noack started it with a one-out double to right-center. He wound up at third base with two outs and Weir stepping to the plate. The Petrel right-hander launched a home run over the right-field fence to give his team a 3-1 lead and put himself back in position for the win.
It wouldn't come easy, though. Weir gave way to James after the Warriors put the tying runners in scoring position with nobody out in the seventh. Hendrix made it 3-2 and then loaded the bases with nobody out. James got the next hitter to foul out to the third baseman, though, and induced an infield fly to put his team an out short of securing the victory. The final Hendrix batter sent a screaming line drive directly at freshman shortstop Matthew Gill. Gill corralled it for the final out.
Weir earned his first win and James his second save in the victory.
Game 1 did not go as well for the home side. They fell behind 3-0 going into the bottom of the second. They did tally a run in the bottom half of that frame on an RBI triple from sophomore second baseman Jonathan Cruz, but they got no more. Meanwhile, Hendrix added on a run in the third to make it 4-1. The Petrels squandered a couple chances to get back into the game. After Hendrix extended their advantage to 5-1, the Petrels left the bases loaded in the eighth. Hendrix responded by putting the game away with 3 more in the ninth.
The same two teams will be back at it Sunday. They'll play another doubleheader, this time starting with a seven-inning game at 11 a.m. from Anderson Field.